Outdoors

Do you adore fishing?  Have you heard of the Kenai River in Alaska?  Kenai River fishing is an angler’s dream come true, actually the mummy lode of salmon fishing.  The Kenai runs an impressive 82 miles, from Kenai Lake in southern Alaska to the Pacific ocean, at Cook’s Inlet.  

Beginning in May, continuing thru mid-October, the Kenai peninsula, just 3 hours south of port, offers a buffet of fishing adventures you will not shortly forget.  

Among the salmon varieties found are King, Sockeye, Silver and Red, with two runs annually.  As well as record-sized salmon, Kenai River fishing offers Steelhead, Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden.  

If you adore fishing, the Kenai River headland is heaven on earth.  The biggest salmon ever caught in the world was a 97-pound King Salmon, in 1985.  Keen fishermen flock to the Kenai headland, expecting to best this record.  A typical catch is forty pounds!  It doesn’t get much better.  

Here is a rundown of the Kenai River fishing season, to help you plan your vacation!  

around the middle of June, there’s one run of the Red Blueback salmon, followed by another in the middle of July.  If you like smoked salmon, you will want to be fishing now, as the Red variety is the king of smoked salmon.  Reds are also highly valued for the griddle, as well as canning.  

Also running in mid-June and mid-July are the King salmon.  While other brooks in Alaska yield more fish, the Chinook of the Kenai stream are known for their huge size.  A normal catch in the second run is 40-50 pounds.  Don’t be surprised to net a King of a larger size!  

Kenai River fishing offers 2 runs of Silver salmon, one in early August and another in late Sep.  The larger catches are generally found in the September run.  

If all of this isn’t really enough to give you the nibbles, the Kenai River yields prize sized Dolly Varden and Rainbow trout.  

Your vacation plans should include a trip to Cook’s Inlet for a saltwater fishing excursion to Kachemak and Resurrection Bays, where the huge bottom-dwelling halibut live.  The Alaskan record halibut of 466 pounds was caught in Kachemak Bay!  

Drive just thirty miles from Kenai to Clam Gulch, a popular destination for clamming.  Razor clams are abundant here.  As the name implies, their shells are pointy, so be careful!  Best digging times are when the tide is at minus 2 feet or lower.  Check with the office of Fish and Game for local limits.  

As you might guess, accommodations are abundant throughout the area of the Kenai River.  You will find well kitted out cabins all along the Kenai, with fantastic guided fishing tours.  Visitors come from all over the world to experience a Kenai River fishing holiday.  Be certain to make a reservation!  It is an experience you won’t forget.  Bon Appetit!

This article was written by Richard Codd, a keen fisherman who has fished on some of the finest rivers and lakes in the world. He has a very popular blog (http://www.bass-fishing.com) on the subject of Largemouth Bass Fishing.